About ÁRPÁD(házi) V. István - Stephen V, King of Hungary and Croatia

ISTVÁN, son of BÉLA IV King of Hungary & his wife Maria Laskarina of Nikaia (18 Oct 1239-1 Aug 1272, Csepel Island, Dominican Monastery). The Chronicon Varadiense names "dux Stephanus postea rex, secundus…dux Bela" as the two sons of "rex Bela quartus"[970]. The Chronicle of Alberic de Trois-Fontaines records the birth "in festo beati Luce 1239" of "regi Hungarie filius masculus…Stephanum"[971]. The Altahenses Annales name "Stephanum filium [Belæ regis Ungarie]" when recording his succession to his father[972]. His father appointed him Prince of Transylvania in 1257. He led the Hungarian troops which invaded Bulgaria in 1261, restoring his brother-in-law Rostislav, who was one of the claimants to the Bulgarian throne after Tsar Koloman II was deposed in 1258, at Vidin. Duke of Slavonia, Dalmatia and Croatia, his father transferred these territories to his younger brother Béla in 1262, whereupon István revolted, although peace was concluded 5 Dec 1262 under which the country was divided and István retained the territory north of the Danube along the border with Bulgaria with the titles "rex iunior" and "dominus Cumanorum". Civil war broke out again in 1264, peace once more being confirmed in István's favour in 1266[973]. He succeeded his father in 1270 as ISTVÁN V King of Hungary. The Altahenses Annales record the death "1272 circa Kal Aug" of "Stephanus rex Ungarie"[974]. The Chronicon Dubnicense records the death "in magna insula" of "Stephanus" and his burial "in ecclesia beate Virginis in insula Budensi in loco Beginarum"[975]. The Gesta Hungarorum records that King István was buried "in insula…Beatæ Virginis"[976]. m (1253) --- of the Kumans, daughter of --- Khan of the Kumans (1240-after 1290). This marriage was agreed as part of King Béla's arrangements for settling the Kumans on empty land on either side of the River Tisza[977]. She was baptised with the name ELISABETH. Regent for her son King László IV in 1272, she was hated by the Hungarians[978]. King István V & his wife had six children:

His mother was Maria Laskarina, a daughter of Theodore I Lascaris of the Empire of Nicaea and Anna Angelina. Anna was a daughter of Alexius III Angelus and Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamaterina.

As crown prince Stephen had exhibited considerable ability, but also a disquieting restlessness and violence. He was appointed duke of Transylvania, then duke of Styria. After the loss of Styria he became duke of Transylvania again. In 1262 Stephen convinced his father Béla to give him twenty-nine counties as a reward of assistance in the war against Bohemia; hence Hungary was virtually divided into two kingdoms. Stephen was crowned junior king of Hungary. Though Hungary was de facto divided into two kingdoms the legal unity remained, because Stephen theoretically ruled by the grace of God and his father. He subsequently seized the southern banate of Macsó and defeated his father in the ensuing civil war. In 1268 he undertook an expedition against the Bulgarians, penetrating as far as Veliko Tarnovo and styling himself as king of Bulgaria.

Stephen's father, attempting to bind the powerful but pagan Cuman tribe more closely to the dynasty, arranged for Stephen's marriage, as a youth (about 1255), to Elizabeth, the daughter of the Cuman chieftain (named Koteny or Kuthens). Though Elizabeth, in preparation for the marriage, had been baptized and remained a Christian, Western Europe almost universally considered Stephen as a semi-pagan. This hostility was felt as Stephen declared himself that everyone was his enemy for his accession to the Hungarian throne.

To secure foreign support, he formed a double matrimonial alliance with the Angevins, chief partisans of the pope. The first of these was the marriage in 1270 of his daughter Maria of Hungary to Charles II of Naples (they became grandparents of Charles I of Hungary). The second alliance was the marriage of Stephen's infant son Ladislaus to Charles II's sister Elisabeth.

Byzantine Emperor Andronicus II Palaeologus married Anna, another of Stephen's daughters. Serbian king Stefan Dragutin married Katerina, yet another of Stephan's daughters.

Adversaries of Stephen, especially Ottokar II of Bohemia, believed that Stephen was too great a friend of the mighty Cumans (who could field 16,000 men) to be a true Catholic. Ottokar endeavoured with the aid of the Hungarian malcontents to conquer the western provinces of Hungary but they were utterly routed by Stephen in 1271 near Mosony. Ottokar relinquished all his conquests the same year in the peace of Pressburg.

Stephen died suddenly as he was raising an army to rescue his kidnapped infant son Ladislaus from his rebellious vassals.

He was the elder son of King Béla IV of Hungary and his queen, Maria Laskarina, a daughter of the Emperor Theodore I Lascaris of Nicaea.

In the second year following his birth, on April 11, 1241, the Mongolian troops defeated his father's army in the Battle of Mohi. After the disastrous battle, the royal family had to escape to Trau, a well-fortified city in Dalmatia. They could only return to Hungary after the unexpected withdrawal of the Mongol forces from Europe.

Junior King of Hungary

In 1246 Stephen was crowned as junior King and his father entrusted him with the government of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia, but the three provinces were de facto governed by the Ban Stephen Gut-Keled. Stephen's father, attempting to bind the powerful but pagan Cuman tribes more closely to the dynasty, arranged for Stephen's marriage, as a youth (about 1253), to Elizabeth, the daughter of a Cuman chieftain Köten.

In 1257, Stephen demanded his father to divide the kingdom between themselves and recruited an army against the senior king. Finally, in 1258, King Béla IV was obliged to cede him the government of Transylvania.

[edit]Duke of Styria

Stephen took part in his father's military campaign against the Styrians, who had rebelled against the rule of the King of Hungary, in 1258. After the successful campaign, King Béla IV appointed him to Duke of Styria.

His government, however, was unpopular among his new subjects, who rebelled against him with the support of King Otakar II of Bohemia. Stephen and his father started an attack against Otakar II's lands, but their troops were defeated on July 12, 1260 in the Battle of Kroissenbrunn. Following the battle, the two Kings of Hungary ceded the Duchy of Styria to the King of Bohemia in the Peace of Pozsony (Slovak: Bratislava).

[edit]Struggles with his father

Shortly after the peace, Stephen took over again the government of Transylvania. In 1261, Stephen and his father made a joint military campaign against Bulgaria, but their relationship became more and more tense, because the senior king had been favouring his younger son, Duke Béla of Slavonia and his daughter, Anna, the mother-in-law of the King of Bohemia.

Finally, with the mediation of Archbishops Fülöp of Esztergom and Smaragd of Kalocsa, Stephen and his father signed an agreement in the summer of 1262 in Pozsony. Based on their agreement, Stephen took over the government of the parts of the kingdom East of the Danube. However, the two kings' reconciliation was only temporary, because their partisans were continuously inciteting them against each other. In 1264, Stephen seized his mother's and sister's estates in his domains, but his father sent troops against him. Stephen's wife and son was captured by his father's partisans, and he had to retreat to the castle of Feketehalom. However, he managed to repeal the siege and to commence a counter-attack.

In March 1265, he gained a strategic victory over his father's army in the Battle of Isaszeg. After his victory, he concluded a peace with King Béla IV. Based on the provisions of the peace, he received back the government of the Eastern parts of the kingdom. On March 23, 1266, father and son confirmed the peace in the Convent of the Blessed Virgin on the Nyulak szigete ('Rabbits' Island'). Shortly afterwards, Stephen V lead his army to Bulgaria and forced Despot Jakov Svetoslav of Vidin to accept his overlordship.

In 1267, the "prelates and nobles" of the Kingdom of Hungary held a joint assembly in Esztergom, and their decisions were confirmed by both Stephen and his father.

To secure foreign support, he formed a double matrimonial alliance with the Angevins, chief partisans of the pope. The first of these was the marriage, in 1270, of his daughter Maria to the future King Charles II of Naples[1] The second alliance was the marriage of Stephen's infant son, Ladislaus to Charles II's sister Elisabeth.

[edit]King of Hungary

After his father's death (May 3, 1270), Stephen inherited the whole Kingdom of Hungary, although the deceased senior king had entrusted his daughter, Anna and his followers to King Otakar II of Bohemia in his last will, and they had escaped to Prague before Stephen arrived to Esztergom.

Before his (second) coronation, Stephen granted the County of Esztergom to the Archbishop. In August 1270, Stephen had a meeting with his brother-in-law, Prince Bolesław V of Poland in Cracow where they concluded an alliance against the King of Bohemia. Stephen also had a meeting with King Otakar II on 16 October on an island of the Danube near to Pozsony where they concluded a truce for two years.

However, following smaller skirmishes on the border, the war broke out soon and the King of Bohemia lead his armies against Hungary. Stephen was defeated in two smaller battles, but finally he won a decisive victory on 21 May 1271 over the Czech and Austrian troops of Otakar II. In the subsequent peace the King of Bohemia handed back the fortresses occupied during its campaign, while Stephen renounced its claim for the Hungarian royal treasury that his sister, Anna had brought to Prague after their father's death.

In the summer of 1272, Stephen left for Dalmatia, where he wanted to meet King Charles I of Sicily, when he was informed that Joachim Gut-Keled kidnapped his infant son, Ladislaus. Stephen was planning to raise an army to rescue his infant son, when he died suddenly.

[edit]Marriage and children

around 1253: Elisabeth (1240 – after 1290), daughter of a chieftain of the Cuman tribes settled down in Hungary

Elisabeth (1255 – 1313/1326), wife firstly of Záviš of Falkenštejn and secondly of King Stefan Uroš II Milutin of Serbia

Katarina (1255/1257 – after 1314), wife of King Stefan Dragutin of Serbia

He was the elder son of King Béla IV of Hungary and his queen, Maria Laskarina, a daughter of the Emperor Theodore I Lascaris of Nicaea.

In the second year following his birth, on 11 April 1241, the Mongolian troops defeated his father's army in the Battle of Mohi. After the disastrous battle, the royal family had to escape to Trau, a well-fortified city in Dalmatia. They could only return to Hungary after the unexpected withdrawal of the Mongol forces from Europe..

Marriage and children

Around 1253: Elisabeth (1240 – after 1290), daughter of a chieftain of the Cuman tribes settled down in Hungary

Elisabeth (1255 – 1313/1326), wife firstly of Záviš of Falkenštejn and secondly of King Stefan Uroš II Milutin of Serbia

Katarina (1255/1257 – after 1314), wife of King Stefan Dragutin of Serbia

He was the elder son of King Béla IV of Hungary and his queen, Maria Laskarina, a daughter of the Emperor Theodore I Lascaris of Nicaea.

In the second year following his birth, on 11 April 1241, the Mongolian troops defeated his father's army in the Battle of Mohi. After the disastrous battle, the royal family had to escape to Trau, a well-fortified city in Dalmatia. They could only return to Hungary after the unexpected withdrawal of the Mongol forces from Europe..

[edit] Junior King of Hungary

In 1246 Stephen was crowned as junior King and his father entrusted him with the government of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia, but the three provinces were de facto governed by the Ban Stephen Gut-Keled. Stephen's father, attempting to bind the powerful but pagan Cuman tribes more closely to the dynasty, arranged for Stephen's marriage, as a youth (about 1253), to Elizabeth, the daughter of a Cuman chieftain Köten.

In 1257, Stephen demanded that his father divide the kingdom between themselves and recruited an army against the senior king. Finally, in 1258, King Béla IV was obliged to cede to him the government of Transylvania.

[edit] Duke of Styria

Stephen took part in his father's military campaign against the Styrians, who had rebelled against the rule of the King of Hungary, in 1258. After the successful campaign, King Béla IV appointed him to Duke of Styria.

His government, however, was unpopular among his new subjects, who rebelled against him with the support of King Otakar II of Bohemia. Stephen and his father started an attack against Otakar II's lands, but their troops were defeated on 12 July 1260 in the Battle of Kroissenbrunn. Following the battle, the two Kings of Hungary ceded the Duchy of Styria to the King of Bohemia in the Peace of Pressburg.

[edit] Struggles with his father

Shortly after the peace, Stephen took over the government of Transylvania again. In 1261, Stephen and his father conducted a joint military campaign against Bulgaria, but their relationship became more and more tense, because the senior king had been favouring his younger son, Duke Béla of Slavonia and his daughter, Anna, the mother-in-law of the King of Bohemia.

Finally, with the mediation of Archbishops Fülöp of Esztergom and Smaragd of Kalocsa, Stephen and his father signed an agreement in the summer of 1262 in Pozsony. Based on their agreement, Stephen took over the government of the parts of the kingdom East of the Danube. However, the two kings' reconciliation was only temporary, because their partisans were continuously inciting them against each other. In 1264, Stephen seized his mother's and sister's estates in his domains, but his father sent troops against him. Stephen's wife and son were captured by his father's partisans, and he had to retreat to the castle of Feketehalom. However, he managed to repeal the siege and to commence a counter-attack.

In March 1265, he gained a strategic victory over his father's army in the Battle of Isaszeg. After his victory, he concluded a peace with King Béla IV. Based on the provisions of the peace, he received back the government of the Eastern parts of the kingdom. On 23 March 1266, father and son confirmed the peace in the Convent of the Blessed Virgin on the Nyulak szigete ('Rabbits' Island'). Shortly afterwards, Stephen V led his army to Bulgaria and forced Despot Jakob Svetoslav of Vidin to accept his overlordship.

In 1267, the "prelates and nobles" of the Kingdom of Hungary held a joint assembly in Esztergom, and their decisions were confirmed by both Stephen and his father.

To secure foreign support, he formed a double matrimonial alliance with the Angevins, chief partisans of the pope. The first of these was the marriage, in 1270, of his daughter Maria to the future King Charles II of Naples[2] The second alliance was the marriage of Stephen's infant son, Ladislaus to Charles II's sister Elisabeth.

[edit] King of Hungary

After his father's death (3 May 1270), Stephen inherited the whole Kingdom of Hungary, although the deceased senior king had entrusted his daughter, Anna and his followers to King Otakar II of Bohemia in his last will, and they had escaped to Prague before Stephen arrived to Esztergom.

Before his (second) coronation, Stephen granted the County of Esztergom to the Archbishop. In August 1270, Stephen had a meeting with his brother-in-law, Prince Bolesław V of Poland in Kraków where they concluded an alliance against the King of Bohemia. Stephen also had a meeting with King Otakar II on 16 October on an island of the Danube near Pozsony where they concluded a truce for two years.

However, following smaller skirmishes on the border, the war broke out soon after and the King of Bohemia lead his armies against Hungary. Stephen was defeated in two smaller battles, but finally won a decisive victory on 21 May 1271 over the Czech and Austrian troops of Otakar II. In the subsequent peace the King of Bohemia handed back the fortresses occupied during his campaign, while Stephen renounced his claim to the Hungarian royal treasury that his sister, Anna had brought to Prague after their father's death.

In the summer of 1272, Stephen left for Dalmatia, where he wanted to meet King Charles I of Sicily, when he was informed that Joachim Gut-Keled had kidnapped his infant son, Ladislaus. Stephen was planning to raise an army to rescue his infant son when he died suddenly.

Marriage and children

around 1253: Elisabeth (1240 – after 1290), daughter of a chieftain of the Cuman tribes settled down in Hungary

Elisabeth (1255 – 1313/1326), wife firstly of Záviš of Falkenštejn and secondly of King Stefan Uroš II Milutin of Serbia

Catherine (1255/1257 – after 1314), wife of King Stefan Dragutin of Serbia

He was the elder son of King Béla IV of Hungary and his queen, Maria Laskarina, a daughter of the Emperor Theodore I Lascaris of Nicaea.

In the second year following his birth, on 11 April 1241, the Mongolian troops defeated his father's army in the Battle of Mohi. After the disastrous battle, the royal family had to escape to Trau, a well-fortified city in Dalmatia. They could only return to Hungary after the unexpected withdrawal of the Mongol forces from Europe..

[edit] Junior King of Hungary

In 1246 Stephen was crowned as junior King and his father entrusted him with the government of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia, but the three provinces were de facto governed by the Ban Stephen Gut-Keled. Stephen's father, attempting to bind the powerful but pagan Cuman tribes more closely to the dynasty, arranged for Stephen's marriage, as a youth (about 1253), to Elizabeth, the daughter of a Cuman chieftain Köten.

In 1257, Stephen demanded that his father divide the kingdom between themselves and recruited an army against the senior king. Finally, in 1258, King Béla IV was obliged to cede to him the government of Transylvania.

Duke of Styria

Stephen took part in his father's military campaign against the Styrians, who had rebelled against the rule of the King of Hungary, in 1258. After the successful campaign, King Béla IV appointed him to Duke of Styria.

His government, however, was unpopular among his new subjects, who rebelled against him with the support of King Otakar II of Bohemia. Stephen and his father started an attack against Otakar II's lands, but their troops were defeated on 12 July 1260 in the Battle of Kroissenbrunn. Following the battle, the two Kings of Hungary ceded the Duchy of Styria to the King of Bohemia in the Peace of Pressburg.

Struggles with his father

Shortly after the peace, Stephen took over the government of Transylvania again. In 1261, Stephen and his father conducted a joint military campaign against Bulgaria, but their relationship became more and more tense, because the senior king had been favouring his younger son, Duke Béla of Slavonia and his daughter, Anna, the mother-in-law of the King of Bohemia.

Finally, with the mediation of Archbishops Fülöp of Esztergom and Smaragd of Kalocsa, Stephen and his father signed an agreement in the summer of 1262 in Pozsony. Based on their agreement, Stephen took over the government of the parts of the kingdom East of the Danube. However, the two kings' reconciliation was only temporary, because their partisans were continuously inciting them against each other. In 1264, Stephen seized his mother's and sister's estates in his domains, but his father sent troops against him. Stephen's wife and son were captured by his father's partisans, and he had to retreat to the castle of Feketehalom. However, he managed to repeal the siege and to commence a counter-attack.

In March 1265, he gained a strategic victory over his father's army in the Battle of Isaszeg. After his victory, he concluded a peace with King Béla IV. Based on the provisions of the peace, he received back the government of the Eastern parts of the kingdom. On 23 March 1266, father and son confirmed the peace in the Convent of the Blessed Virgin on the Nyulak szigete ('Rabbits' Island'). Shortly afterwards, Stephen V led his army to Bulgaria and forced Despot Jakob Svetoslav of Vidin to accept his overlordship.

In 1267, the "prelates and nobles" of the Kingdom of Hungary held a joint assembly in Esztergom, and their decisions were confirmed by both Stephen and his father.

To secure foreign support, he formed a double matrimonial alliance with the Angevins, chief partisans of the pope. The first of these was the marriage, in 1270, of his daughter Maria to the future King Charles II of Naples[2] The second alliance was the marriage of Stephen's infant son, Ladislaus to Charles II's sister Elisabeth.

King of Hungary

After his father's death (3 May 1270), Stephen inherited the whole Kingdom of Hungary, although the deceased senior king had entrusted his daughter, Anna and his followers to King Otakar II of Bohemia in his last will, and they had escaped to Prague before Stephen arrived to Esztergom.

Before his (second) coronation, Stephen granted the County of Esztergom to the Archbishop. In August 1270, Stephen had a meeting with his brother-in-law, Prince Bolesław V of Poland in Kraków where they concluded an alliance against the King of Bohemia. Stephen also had a meeting with King Otakar II on 16 October on an island of the Danube near Pozsony where they concluded a truce for two years.

However, following smaller skirmishes on the border, the war broke out soon after and the King of Bohemia lead his armies against Hungary. Stephen was defeated in two smaller battles, but finally won a decisive victory on 21 May 1271 over the Czech and Austrian troops of Otakar II. In the subsequent peace the King of Bohemia handed back the fortresses occupied during his campaign, while Stephen renounced his claim to the Hungarian royal treasury that his sister, Anna had brought to Prague after their father's death.

In the summer of 1272, Stephen left for Dalmatia, where he wanted to meet King Charles I of Sicily, when he was informed that Joachim Gut-Keled had kidnapped his infant son, Ladislaus. Stephen was planning to raise an army to rescue his infant son when he died suddenly.

[edit] Marriage and children

around 1253: Elisabeth (1240 – after 1290), daughter of a chieftain of the Cuman tribes settled down in Hungary

He was the elder son of King Béla IV of Hungary and his queen, Maria Laskarina, a daughter of the Emperor Theodore I Lascaris of Nicaea.

In the second year following his birth, on 11 April 1241, the Mongolian troops defeated his father's army in the Battle of Mohi. After the disastrous battle, the royal family had to escape to Trau, a well-fortified city in Dalmatia. They could only return to Hungary after the unexpected withdrawal of the Mongol forces from Europe..

Marriage and children

Around 1253: Elisabeth (1240 – after 1290), daughter of a chieftain of the Cuman tribes settled down in Hungary

Elisabeth (1255 – 1313/1326), wife firstly of Záviš of Falkenštejn and secondly of King Stefan Uroš II Milutin of Serbia

Katarina (1255/1257 – after 1314), wife of King Stefan Dragutin of Serbia

In 1246 Stephen was crowned as junior King and his father entrusted him with the government of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia, but the three provinces were de facto governed by the Ban Stephen Gut-Keled. Stephen's father, attempting to bind the powerful but pagan Cuman tribes more closely to the dynasty, arranged for Stephen's marriage, as a youth (about 1253), to Elizabeth, the daughter of a Cuman chieftain Köten.

In 1257, Stephen demanded his father to divide the kingdom between themselves and recruited an army against the senior king. Finally, in 1258, King Béla IV was obliged to cede him the government of Transylvania.